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Life is too short to do it the right way...


Fat Guy

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Am I the only one who hardly ever de-fats chicken stock? :unsure:

I do chill it and break off the fatcap, but ONLY if I'm planning a clear broth-type application, and that's once in a blue moon..otherwise, I'm of the view that the fat adds flavour..right? (Though truth be told, I leave it there because life's too short etc.)

Tell me I'm not the only one!

I'm in the "keep the fat in there" club!

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Am I the only one who hardly ever de-fats chicken stock? :unsure:

I do chill it and break off the fatcap, but ONLY if I'm planning a clear broth-type application, and that's once in a blue moon..otherwise, I'm of the view that the fat adds flavour..right? (Though truth be told, I leave it there because life's too short etc.)

Tell me I'm not the only one!

I defat but keep the fat and use it to saute with. It's always easy to add fat to a dish but harder to take it away so I like having a defatted stock as a base.

PS: I am a guy.

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I'm too lazy to make pancakes from scratch. Long ago I decided that a decent boxed pancake mix is at least as good--and a whole lot faster.

These days I keep Trader Joe's Multi-Grain Pancake & Baking Mix on hand for pancakes, esp. good made with buttermilk.


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Am I the only one who hardly ever de-fats chicken stock? :unsure:

I do chill it and break off the fatcap, but ONLY if I'm planning a clear broth-type application, and that's once in a blue moon..otherwise, I'm of the view that the fat adds flavour..right? (Though truth be told, I leave it there because life's too short etc.)

Tell me I'm not the only one!

Join the club. We have t-shirts. :raz:

I'll admit to partially defatting when Mom is going to eat the final product, and that's out of respect for her lack of gallbladder. But that's it. A good soup should have those little globules of fat floating up there on it.

---

I'll also, while we're here, admit to using packaged mushroom cream sauces with milk, because sometimes I just can't be bothered to rehydrate the suellius and do the whole roux + cream thing.

Elizabeth Campbell, baking 10,000 feet up at 1° South latitude.

My eG Food Blog (2011)My eG Foodblog (2012)

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  • 2 weeks later...

This thread makes me sad. Why wouldn't you WANT to do things the right way? :sad:

I agree with this guy:

Life is too short to do it the WRONG way.... eat out instead.

- Chef Johnny

John Maher
Executive Chef/Owner
The Rogue Gentlemen

Richmond, VA

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This thread makes me sad. Why wouldn't you WANT to do things the right way? :sad:

I agree with this guy:

Life is too short to do it the WRONG way.... eat out instead.

- Chef Johnny

Can't speak for everyone, but I find that 'the right way' is by no means universal/persistent/consistent from one person to the next. And sometimes, the tinned or frozen corn is better than the fresh stuff, the results of skipping or altering a step not even slightly noticeable, or one finds oneself in a situation that makes it impossible to do everything by the book (and eating out isn't a satisfactory option).

Michaela, aka "Mjx"
Manager, eG Forums
mscioscia@egstaff.org

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I'm with Michaela on this.

I am perfectly capable of making my own puff pastry, but after costing it out (ingredients, time) it is easier and cheaper to buy it premade. The results are more consistant, as well.

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I think were on different pages here. Im not equating making everything from scratch (re: the puff pastry example) as "right." As someone thats done it before, its a pain in the ass. And I totally agree that the pre made is much more consistent. Im speaking more in terms of "Why buy that pre chopped garlic in oil in a jar, when you can just buy a head of garlic and chop it yourself?" for example. Or, god forbid, use a garlic press. Is it really that painstaking? Maybe its just me, but I don't see how hard it is to shuck an ear of corn.

- Chef Johnny

John Maher
Executive Chef/Owner
The Rogue Gentlemen

Richmond, VA

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I think were on different pages here. Im not equating making everything from scratch (re: the puff pastry example) as "right." As someone thats done it before, its a pain in the ass. And I totally agree that the pre made is much more consistent. Im speaking more in terms of "Why buy that pre chopped garlic in oil in a jar, when you can just buy a head of garlic and chop it yourself?" for example. Or, god forbid, use a garlic press. Is it really that painstaking? Maybe its just me, but I don't see how hard it is to shuck an ear of corn.

- Chef Johnny

For the most part, I'm with you. Given the choice and even a small amount of available time/energy, yes, the more painstaking approach is the way to go.

On the other hand (staying with the corn/maize example), sometimes the ears at the supermarket are in lousy shape, or its 22.00, just coming off a gruelling marathon of day, and honestly, stopping at the 24-hour supermarket to get corn, even if it's fantastic corn, is just not happening. That's when you reach for the freezer, and pull out the bag. Hell, on those nights, I don't even cook the corn. I eat it frozen.

Michaela, aka "Mjx"
Manager, eG Forums
mscioscia@egstaff.org

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I think were on different pages here. Im not equating making everything from scratch (re: the puff pastry example) as "right." As someone thats done it before, its a pain in the ass. And I totally agree that the pre made is much more consistent. Im speaking more in terms of "Why buy that pre chopped garlic in oil in a jar, when you can just buy a head of garlic and chop it yourself?" for example. Or, god forbid, use a garlic press. Is it really that painstaking? Maybe its just me, but I don't see how hard it is to shuck an ear of corn.

- Chef Johnny

I get what you are saying, Johnny. I wasn't trying to be a wiseguy. I cook from scratch a lot, in fact, most of the time. I also don't begrudge people who don't do so for whatever their reasons may be. I mentioned my mother upthread. She has never enjoyed cooking and now that she lives alone, convenience foods are a life-saver for her. I am heartened that she will prepare a balanced meal for herself, even if it is made up of things that I'd either seldom or never use myself. It's either that or she turns into her scrawny mother who lived on sweets, pastries and coffee in the last years of her life unless someone else cooked for her.

I live halfway across the country from her, so I can't run over and cook for her or I would.

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I totally get it. And hopefully my comments aren't coming off as "elitist." I think, to clarify more, is that people should *want* to do things the right way, when they have the means and time, as opposed to cutting corners and/or being plain lazy. Now don't get me wrong, I definitely know what it feels like to come home after 16 hours in a kitchen and not want to cook the greatest made-from-scratch meal ever. Im pretty sure only Alice Waters does that. Id usually just make some pasta with chili and garlic (fresh cloves, though ;)

So I guess the point Ive been trying to come to is: If you have the time and means, you should want to cook the right way.

- Chef Johnny

*note* I don't mean "you" as in you specifically, but "you" as a general term.

John Maher
Executive Chef/Owner
The Rogue Gentlemen

Richmond, VA

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I should know better than commenting on a thread on eG about kitchen shortcuts, but I will anyway...

Pre-peeled garlic? It takes at most, 5 seconds. Leaving aside the issue of someone with arthritic hands, typing this post took longer than the amount of time it would have taken for me to peel a couple of cloves of garlic.

I should time myself the next time I do it and make a note of it so I can post in this thread as proof.

Maybe, for 1 clove. How about 40?

And if it tastes the same, which to me it does, what's the point? There are no awards for performing more work for no reason.

There is a video currently circulating on Facebook where someone in one of Saveur's test kitchens "peels" a head of garlc in 10 seconds.

No, that is not a typo.

Place a head of garlic between two metal bowls, shake vigorously for 10 seconds and voila. Instant peeled cloves.

That being said, I do not know when I will ever use an entire head of garlic as I do not foresee myself ever in that situation but it is good to know.

The method I use is a variation of the one I once learned from my mom -- place garlic clove on cutting board, place cleaver on top of clove, whack with the heel of your hand on top of cleaver; instant peeled clove. A little smashed or bruised, but you can't make an omelette without breaking an egg. :wink: Time: I dunno, 1 or 2 seconds maybe?

I don't think El Gordo is advocating to stop doing everything the right way as we each choose our own shortcuts. It's just that pre-peeled garlic cloves is something I will never be able to wrap my head around. Ever.

edit: spelling

you can do exactly the same thing, but use individual cloves instead of the head. works perfectly and you get a whole clove instead of a semicrushed one

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I should know better than commenting on a thread on eG about kitchen shortcuts, but I will anyway...

Pre-peeled garlic? It takes at most, 5 seconds. Leaving aside the issue of someone with arthritic hands, typing this post took longer than the amount of time it would have taken for me to peel a couple of cloves of garlic.

I should time myself the next time I do it and make a note of it so I can post in this thread as proof.

Maybe, for 1 clove. How about 40?

And if it tastes the same, which to me it does, what's the point? There are no awards for performing more work for no reason.

There is a video currently circulating on Facebook where someone in one of Saveur's test kitchens "peels" a head of garlc in 10 seconds.

No, that is not a typo.

Place a head of garlic between two metal bowls, shake vigorously for 10 seconds and voila. Instant peeled cloves.

That being said, I do not know when I will ever use an entire head of garlic as I do not foresee myself ever in that situation but it is good to know.

The method I use is a variation of the one I once learned from my mom -- place garlic clove on cutting board, place cleaver on top of clove, whack with the heel of your hand on top of cleaver; instant peeled clove. A little smashed or bruised, but you can't make an omelette without breaking an egg. :wink: Time: I dunno, 1 or 2 seconds maybe?

I don't think El Gordo is advocating to stop doing everything the right way as we each choose our own shortcuts. It's just that pre-peeled garlic cloves is something I will never be able to wrap my head around. Ever.

edit: spelling

you can do exactly the same thing, but use individual cloves instead of the head. works perfectly and you get a whole clove instead of a semicrushed one

Or, do a whole head, take what you need right away and store (freeze?) the rest for later. Voila, your own stack of pre-peeled garlic!

On the whole "if it tastes the same, then what's the point of it" issue- for me it would be money. I have never seen pre-peeled garlic (to stick with the example) on sale here, but I'm sure it would come at a significantly higher price than a whole, unpeeled head.

Another question that pops in my mind: how did those cloves get out of their skins...? I once saw an interesting program (on Dutch TV) on tins of peeled and segmented mandarins- showing how they go through a chemical bath to get rid of their skins. I can imagine some similar process being applied to garlic and I'm not sure I want to include the (possible) traces of that in my pasta sauce. (Which, by the way almost always contains canned tomatoes, which I am too lazy to bother cutting up before dumping them in the pot).

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I should know better than commenting on a thread on eG about kitchen shortcuts, but I will anyway...

Pre-peeled garlic? It takes at most, 5 seconds. Leaving aside the issue of someone with arthritic hands, typing this post took longer than the amount of time it would have taken for me to peel a couple of cloves of garlic.

I should time myself the next time I do it and make a note of it so I can post in this thread as proof.

Maybe, for 1 clove. How about 40?

And if it tastes the same, which to me it does, what's the point? There are no awards for performing more work for no reason.

There is a video currently circulating on Facebook where someone in one of Saveur's test kitchens "peels" a head of garlc in 10 seconds.

No, that is not a typo.

Place a head of garlic between two metal bowls, shake vigorously for 10 seconds and voila. Instant peeled cloves.

That being said, I do not know when I will ever use an entire head of garlic as I do not foresee myself ever in that situation but it is good to know.

The method I use is a variation of the one I once learned from my mom -- place garlic clove on cutting board, place cleaver on top of clove, whack with the heel of your hand on top of cleaver; instant peeled clove. A little smashed or bruised, but you can't make an omelette without breaking an egg. :wink: Time: I dunno, 1 or 2 seconds maybe?

I don't think El Gordo is advocating to stop doing everything the right way as we each choose our own shortcuts. It's just that pre-peeled garlic cloves is something I will never be able to wrap my head around. Ever.

edit: spelling

you can do exactly the same thing, but use individual cloves instead of the head. works perfectly and you get a whole clove instead of a semicrushed one

Or, do a whole head, take what you need right away and store (freeze?) the rest for later. Voila, your own stack of pre-peeled garlic!

On the whole "if it tastes the same, then what's the point of it" issue- for me it would be money. I have never seen pre-peeled garlic (to stick with the example) on sale here, but I'm sure it would come at a significantly higher price than a whole, unpeeled head.

Another question that pops in my mind: how did those cloves get out of their skins...? I once saw an interesting program (on Dutch TV) on tins of peeled and segmented mandarins- showing how they go through a chemical bath to get rid of their skins. I can imagine some similar process being applied to garlic and I'm not sure I want to include the (possible) traces of that in my pasta sauce. (Which, by the way almost always contains canned tomatoes, which I am too lazy to bother cutting up before dumping them in the pot).

At my local mexican bodega, peeled garlic is 99 cents for a bag, unpeeled garlic is 69 cents for 5 heads. A bag is maybe 60% of 5 heads so I'm paying roughly double. Given that I go through that amount of garlic in a month, I think I'm fine paying the extra 70 cents a month not to have to peel garlic.

And peeled garlic industrially using exactly the same trick used in home kitchens, they're put in tumblers and agitated until the skins fall off.

PS: I am a guy.

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And peeled garlic industrially using exactly the same trick used in home kitchens, they're put in tumblers and agitated until the skins fall off.

I realised that almost the minute I hit the post button on my last reply... :biggrin:

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